2008 Woodie Awards
Respected coach optimistic about move
Elise Baker '09
Issue date: 5/10/08 Section: Features
John Wynne is something of a celebrity at The Episcopal Academy.
After 41 years of coaching basketball, football, and baseball, starting the lacrosse and weightlifting programs, and serving as assistant athletic director, physical education director, and director of the Episcopal Academy Summer Day Camp, he is the guy everyone knows.
In fact, Wynne guesses that he has come into contact with about 41,000 youths during his time at Episcopal.
Even when celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary in Antigua or visiting his daughter at college in Georgia, he runs into familiar faces.
After graduating from East Stroudsburg State University in 1967, with a major in health and physical education, Wynne joined the staff at Episcopal, working with K-12 students. Now the physical education program he runs focuses on pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as older students fulfill varsity sports requirements.
Reclining in his beige office chair, his bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement, Wynne recounted all the things he has accomplished and witnessed at Episcopal. The memorabilia around his wood-paneled office prove it, from the game photos lined up behind his desk to the figure of a lacrosse player burned into his door.
Leaving Episcopal's Merion campus for its new location in Newtown Square, has both pros and cons for Wynne, who holds the honor of being the teacher on campus who has been there the longest.
"It's kind of hard because I've been here 41 years," Wynne said. "There are a lot of roots."
Wynne said his creation of the varsity lacrosse team is his "pride and joy because we started it from absolutely nothing."
Since its inception, the lacrosse team has seen 12 league championships and won four state championships. The team has been ranked as high as fifth nationally, produced 12 All-American lacrosse players, several nominees to the Pennsylvania Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and sent students to prominent colleges across the nation.
After 41 years of coaching basketball, football, and baseball, starting the lacrosse and weightlifting programs, and serving as assistant athletic director, physical education director, and director of the Episcopal Academy Summer Day Camp, he is the guy everyone knows.
In fact, Wynne guesses that he has come into contact with about 41,000 youths during his time at Episcopal.
Even when celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary in Antigua or visiting his daughter at college in Georgia, he runs into familiar faces.
After graduating from East Stroudsburg State University in 1967, with a major in health and physical education, Wynne joined the staff at Episcopal, working with K-12 students. Now the physical education program he runs focuses on pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as older students fulfill varsity sports requirements.
Reclining in his beige office chair, his bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement, Wynne recounted all the things he has accomplished and witnessed at Episcopal. The memorabilia around his wood-paneled office prove it, from the game photos lined up behind his desk to the figure of a lacrosse player burned into his door.
Leaving Episcopal's Merion campus for its new location in Newtown Square, has both pros and cons for Wynne, who holds the honor of being the teacher on campus who has been there the longest.
"It's kind of hard because I've been here 41 years," Wynne said. "There are a lot of roots."
Wynne said his creation of the varsity lacrosse team is his "pride and joy because we started it from absolutely nothing."
Since its inception, the lacrosse team has seen 12 league championships and won four state championships. The team has been ranked as high as fifth nationally, produced 12 All-American lacrosse players, several nominees to the Pennsylvania Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and sent students to prominent colleges across the nation.
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